segal3's photostream  

A hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) investigates the dome port while among soft corals on a deep reef. Pulau Suanggi, Maluku, Indonesia.

Pacific sardines (Sardinops sagax) form a silver school for protection in shallow water near shore. Catalina Island, California.

Two young Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostrus) calves pursue their mother as she grazes on vegetation. Crystal River, Florida.

Underwater at a macro site in Gambier Bay, Alaska, we stumbled across some very beautiful fish. Among a field of skeleton shrimp, these rather large snailfish (3-6") had nearly translucent milky skin with golden-brown spots, and were impervious to the proximity of the camera. We saw both single individuals and what appeared to be mated pairs (larger and smaller fish together, with the smaller consistently exhibiting a slightly yellower skin tone). When not briefly free-swimming to evade the annoyance of shrimp claws, the snailfish would curl their tails nearly to their eyes.

Does anyone know exactly what species this is?

Nov. 2011 update: The species was identified as Crystallichthys cyclospilus ("Blotched snailfish"). This is apparently one of the first images of the species alive in its habitat.

ID: (c)mattsegal_20110905_88W0527

Real landscape photographers use flash! ;-)